The Effect of Korean Occupational Health Nurses' Work Conditions on their Performance / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: This is a descriptive study that provides basic material to improve occupational health nurses' work conditions and industrial performance status. METHODS: The 955 nurses who participated in the training program to understand the purpose of this study from January 2009 to December 2010 conducted by the Korean Association of Occupational Health Nurses agreed to be subjects for the study. The questionnaire included the general characteristics, work conditions and performance of occupational health management. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Occupational health management performance of the subjects averaged 3.11 points and detailed area by health management 3.64 points, environment management 2.91 points and occupational management 2.77 points. Health management performance of those factors affecting the duration of occupational health nurse (beta=.199), type of industry (beta=.126), average annual income (beta=-.277) to 11.4% (F=3.175, p<.001) were found to be a significant determinant. CONCLUSION: Occupational health nurses are the core workforce of occupational health through the prevention of occupational disease and industrial accidents. Findings of this study can be an important resource to increase appropriate occupational health nurses' work conditions and performance of occupational health management.

The Job Stress and Presenteeism of Occupational Health Nurses in Workplace in Korea / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: This is a descriptive study to provide basic material that enables to prevent industrial hospital nurses from occupational stress, health problems and work impairment by understanding their work environment, stress, Presenteeism and correlation among them. METHOD: The subjects for this study consists of 272 industrial hospital nurses who have attended the training conducted by KAOHN from October to December 2009 and recognized the purpose of this study and agreed to participate. The questionnaire included Korean Version of Occupational Stress questionnaire developed by S.J. Chang and Stanford Presenteeism Scale questionnaire translated by Y.M. Lee. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test and Pearson's correlation coefficient with SPSS/WIN 17.0. RESULT: The industrial hospital nurses get much more stress than the average in three fields of occupational stress: interpersonal conflict, job insecurity and occupational climate. The study shows in particular, the age group of twenties with one to three year work experience having higher than any other groups in occupational stress, work impairment and perceived productivity of Presenteeism. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to develop management for these groups of nurses. In addition, institutional support and policy should be rendered to secure job conditions so that occupational stress can be relieved from these nurses and to prevent work impairment in advance as occupational stress has substantial correlation with health problems, work impairment and perceived productivity of Presenteeism.

The Effects of Tailored Life Style Improvement Program for the Hypertensive Workers Provided by Occupational Health Nurse / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: To confirm the effect of tailored life style improvement program, provided by occupational health nurse for hypertensive workers on their blood pressure, self-efficacy, and life style changes in workplace. METHOD: The experimental and control group of thirty subjects each were randomly assigned for those who agreed to participate in the study among the pre-hypertensive workers. The tailored life style improvement program was provided to the experimental group and conducted once a week for 8 weeks. This program was composed of exercise and low salt diet to control high blood pressure and weight, and the measurement of carbon monoxide for non-smoking inducement. RESULT: In the experimental group, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased while self-efficacy increased after the program compared to the control group. Smoking and drinking habits of the experimental group were significantly decreased whereas exercise and nutritional habits were significantly improved compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The tailored life style improvement program provided by occupational health nurses for the hypertensive workers was positively affected on their blood pressure, self-efficacy and life style changes in workplace.

Study on activities of some occupational health nurses in Kyungnam area / 예방의학회지

Authors purposed to observe activities of occupational health nurses and it's related factors, and to suggest the way that induct better occupational health nurses' activities with questionnaire to 87 occupational health nurses who individually work as health manager in the plant. The questionnaire included type of plant and number of workers, general characteristics, work conditions, activities, etc. Major findings are as follows. 1. 82.8% of occupational health nurses were third decade 93.1% graduated junior college or college. And 82.8% were not married. 2. General work conditions: 40.2% were belonged to safety-health section, 98.85% were mere clerks. 60.9% worked less than weekly 44 hours, and an annual salary of 50.6% was between 10million and 14 million won. 3. work condition related to health manager work: there was separated health care room in 94. 3%, working period as health manager(occupational health nurse) was less than 5 years in 70.1%, 49.4% had the out-of-health manager work. In 87.4%, occupational physician was appointed, only 6.9% of them were full time, 52.9% of them worked little in the plants The problems related to workers' health were discussed with industrial nurses in 88.5%. 4. Attitude for their work: 88.5% were thought that their work is important for workers' health care, 57.5% satisfied to work as health manager. In 51.7%, motive to being industrial nurse were the appropriate aptitude. 5. Activities: General medical care in 100 % were carried out, in 97 7% works related to general health examination, in l00% works related to special health examination were carried. But works related to use of protective apparatus were carried out in 20.8%. 6. Factors related to level of activities: In cases who solved the health related problems by themselves, the level of activities was significantly higher than in others. In cases there w ere full time occupational physician, the level of activities was significantly lower. 7. Occupational health nurse's needs: 100% wanted regular education, 89.7% wanted the qualifying examination. As the results, author suggests that the right of self-control is given to occupational health nurses and the work of occupational physician is clearly defined for the induction of the better activities of occupational health nurses.